1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of artificial flowers and other decorative items having their principal components composed of an elastic-like material, such as rubber latex, having internal structural characteristics and surface textures simulating the flower or decorative construction being simulated.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the past, it has been the conventional practice to construct and provide an artificial decorative item such as flowers by employing materials composed of silk, wire, adhesives and the like so that when properly cut and shaped, as well as joined together, these components provide an artificial decorative item. Problems and difficulties have been encountered with such conventional practices that stem largely from the fact that even after the artificial construction has been completed, surface textures of the components do not simulate the desired article being artificially duplicated. As an example, when silk or plastic is being employed as the material for duplicating leaves or petals in flower constructions, the surface texture is unreal and generally requires additional painstaking painting and other decorative steps to achieve a realistic appearance. Furthermore, silk is extremely light and requires substantial support in order that a desired shape of petal or leaf be maintained in order to effect realism.
Whenever plastic materials are used, it is necessary that costly molds and forms be provided in order that the plastic may assume various surface textures and the like simulating the leaf or petal being duplicated. This, of course, is expensive and time-consuming and does not lend itself to experimentation and artistic design.
Therefore, a long-standing need has existed to provide a simple and relatively inexpensive way to construct and manufacture artificial decorative items, such as flowers, which utilizes a unique construction material, such as rubber latex or the like, having internal characteristics lending itself for shaping and supporting a plurality of components which, when gathered together, provide a decorative display of desired shape and configuration. Because of the unique construction material, surface texture is improved as well as integral reinforcement of the components that adds to the realistic display of a real article being artificially produced.